Lakewood Heritage Advisory Board presents 2025 preservation awards including Trinity Block and Birdie Town redevelopment

The Lakewood Heritage Advisory Board presented its 2025 historic preservation awards at City Council on May 5, honoring homeowners and developers for projects that preserved and restored local historic character.

Board Chair Peter Keter described the selection process and highlighted five awardees: a front-porch addition at 17401 Edgewater Drive (owners Brian Grady and Kristen Gibbs), a historic-home rehabilitation at 13963 Lake (Lawrence and Jennifer Feasel), a rear/garage addition at 15703 Lake Avenue (Jason Schachner and Michelle Murray), the Birdie Town redevelopment at 12501 Madison Avenue (adaptive reuse of a former grocery), and the Trinity Block rehabilitation at 16400 Detroit Avenue (Frank and Maria Scalish).

Keter praised projects that preserved facade character while adding modern function. The Birdie Town project restored storefronts, removed intrusive awnings and brought mixed uses including an indoor mini-golf and retail spaces; the Trinity Block redevelopment preserved church and school structures in an adaptive reuse that added office space and preserved interior volumes.

Councilmembers thanked the advisory board and property owners for investments that contribute to the city—s character and long-term property value. "When they're done, boy, they look great and you create an asset that's gonna continue to do something great for our community for the next 50 to 100 years," Vice President Baker said.

Council received and filed the presentation and the board indicated certificates will be delivered to award recipients who were not present.